Non-slip three sided bed skirt

ABSTRACT

Non-slip three sided bed skirt is disclosed. The bed skirt comprises the combination of an elongate, planar non-slip material interposable between a box spring and a mattress long a peripheral edge thereof and a layer of decorative textile/fabric depending from one side thereof extending outwardly from the mattress and box spring. Typically, three segments of non-slip material and decorative textile attached thereto are attached to form a three sided bed skirt to fit conventional bedding, although other shapes and sizes are contemplated. The non-slip material is formed from a polymer designed to remain securely in position. The fabric is cut to form a desired length to accommodate a specific box spring size.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 61/845,464, filed Jul. 12, 2013, entitled NON-SLIPTHREE-SIDED BED SKIRT, all of the teachings of which are incorporatedherein by reference.

STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND

The present invention is directed to a non-slip, three sided bed skirtfor use as a substitute for conventional bed skirts that is far easierto position and maintain than convention bed skirts.

As is well-known in the art, bed skirts using traditional constructionmethods shift out of place over time and look unsightly requiring theuser to remove the mattress to adjust. Such process is not only laborintensive, it also places individuals at risk for back injury due tostrain from lifting the mattress, which is a well-documented healthconcern in the hospitality industry and housekeeping workforce. In thisregard, traditional methods for constructing bed skirts rely on a simplefabric decking material that lays completely over the top surface of thebox spring to hold the bed skirt in place when a mattress is placedthereon.

Attempts in the art have been made to simplify such structure bydispensing with the need to incorporate fabric decking material andinstead utilize only a small portion of material that is interposedbetween the mattress and box spring. Exemplary of such devices includethose disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,119,290 A, issued Sep. 19, 2000entitled DUST RUFFLE STRUCTURE, the teachings of which are expresslyincorporated herein by reference.

Despite numerous advantages of having a simpler design and easierintegration between a mattress and box spring combination, such priorart structure suffers from the drawback of becoming easily dislodgedwhen inserted into position between the mattress and box spring. In thisregard, such structure does not sufficiently become fixed into positionand can become dislodged after being affixed into position between themattress and box spring. Moreover, such structure is designed to have alength of bed skirt material that enables such device to be used withbeds and box springs of varying heights, which requires the user toselectively position the bed skirt and estimate the height (oftenimprecisely) by which the bed skirt material will hang about the boxspring. Moreover, the bed skirt that is the subject of U.S. Pat. No.6,119,290 is manufactured in one continuous length of material that canbe cut to size for a specific bed. Such design, however, is flawedbecause when fabricated from a continuous length, the two corners at thefoot of the bed cannot be rounded in a visually pleasing manner insofaras the ideal bed skirt would have sewn in corners that fit the contoursof the bed and will appear fitted and custom compared to theaforementioned prior-art dust ruffle.

Further problematic with prior art bed skirt alternatives is theincorporation of elastic bands and the like that facilitate the abilityof the bed skirts to grip about the upper surface of the box spring tothus hug the corners of a mattress. Such elasticized edges aredysfunctional insofar as such elastic edges require constant adjustmentand add to the expense of manufacturing. Furthermore, the dust rufflestructure having elastic incorporated therein must be manipulated to fita specific type of bed, and do not have any type of ability to becustomized for a particular bed structure.

Accordingly, there is a substantial need in the art for an improved bedskirt, and in particular a three sided bed skirt to accommodateconventional rectangular beds, that can be easily deployed and put intoposition between a box spring and a mattress that enables the bed skirtto have a customized, finished look that eliminates the aforementioneddeficiencies. There is likewise a need in the art for such an improvedbed skirt that is of simple design, inexpensive to manufacture, can betailored to fit a bed of any type of size and shape, becomes more firmlyseated into position when deployed between a box spring and mattress,and is substantially less labor-intensive to deploy than prior art bedskirts, and in particular conventional bed skirts requiring that themattress be completely removed from the box spring to enable the bedskirt to be placed in position. Still further, there is a need in theart for such a bed skirt that significantly reduces the risk of injury,and in particular back injury, that can occur per installation andpositioning of conventional bed skirts.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The present invention specifically addresses and alleviates theabove-identified deficiencies in the art. In this regard, the presentinvention is directed to an improved non-slip, three sided bed skirtthat can be easily deployed between a box spring and mattress and enablethe bed skirt to remain securely seated into position and assume atailored look that can be utilized with beds of any shape and size, asmay be desired.

According to a preferred embodiment, the present invention comprises thecombination of a first horizontally-configured non-slip material,preferably formed from a polymer material, such as polyvinyl chloride(PVC), that is operative to be interposed between a box spring andmattress along a peripheral edge thereof. According to a preferredembodiment, the non-slip material member will be formed as an elongatepanel having a width of sufficient size such that the non-slip materialwill remain securely in place once positioned within the sandwichdefined by the box spring and mattress. In a preferred embodiment, thewidth can range from a few inches to over a foot, with a width of atleast four (4) inches being preferred in some embodiments and a width ofat least six (5) inches being preferred when a greater degree ofsecurity is desired.

Depending from a side of the non-slip material extending along theperipheral edge thereof is a decorative textile/fabric materialinterconnected therewith, typically by sewing or stitching, which maytake any of a variety of forms known in the art and operative to definethe bed skirt. The depending textile/fabric may have a height and lengthselectively chosen so as to accommodate a particular size and dimensionof bed, and preferably will be configured so as to extend between thejuncture between the mattress and box spring to the floor supporting thebedding structure.

The combination of the non-slip material and decorative textiledepending therefrom, thus define a generally inverted “L” shape and maybe formed as elongate members interposable about respective sides of abox spring and mattress. In use, multiple segments of the interconnectednon-slip material and decorative textile will be sewn together,typically to form a three sided bed skirt, which can be attached to aconventional mattress and box spring such that the non-slip materialremains interposed between the mattress and box spring and thedecorative textile correspondingly depending therefrom extending aboutthree sides of the box spring to thus define the bed skirt. As most bedsare typically four sided in nature, with the fourth side typicallyattached to a head board structure, it is contemplated that the bedskirts of the present invention will be formed to have three sides toaccommodate the outwardly facing sides of the bed, although other shapesand sizes can also be readily accommodated via a custom bed skirt.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These as well as other features of the present invention will becomemore apparent upon reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bed skirt constructed in accordancewith a preferred embodiment of the present invention as interposedbetween a mattress and a box spring, the latter being shown in phantom.

FIG. 2 is a perspective exploded view of the mattress, bed skirt and boxspring of FIG. 1 showing the bed skirt as positioned upon said boxspring.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the bed skirt of the present inventionassuming a conventional three-sided configuration.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The detailed description set forth below is intended as a description ofthe presently preferred embodiment of the invention, and is not intendedto represent the only form in which the present invention may beimplemented or performed. The description sets forth the functions andsequences of steps for practicing the invention. It is to be understood,however, that the same or equivalent functions and sequences may beaccomplished by different embodiments and that they are also intended tobe encompassed within the scope of the invention.

The present invention is directed to a non-slip, three-sided bed skirtfor use with conventional bedding, namely a box spring and mattress. Thebed skirt of the present invention advantageously enables the bed skirtto be readily positioned between the mattress and box spring in a mannerthat does not require the mattress to be lifted to any great degree oris otherwise moved so as to enable the bed skirt to be secured intoposition.

Bearing such principals in mind, and referring now to the figures andinitially to FIG. 1, there is shown a bed skirt 10 as constructed inaccordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, asinterposed between a mattress 12 and box spring 14, the latter shown inphantom. The bed skirt 10 is designed and configured to assume theappearance of a conventional bed skirt, with the exception that the bedskirt 10 is operative to have a more tailored, custom fit about the boxspring 14 upon which the bed skirt 10 is affixed.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown how the bed skirt 10 of thepresent invention is positioned relative the box spring 14 and mattress12. As illustrated, the bed skirt 10 is positioned to lay upon the topsurface 14 a of box spring 14 such that three sides of the bed skirt,namely, a, b, and c, define a three-sided border around the periphery ofthe box spring 14. Along those lines, and according to a preferredembodiment, the bed skirt 10 is fabricated to have only three sides,with the remaining side being open so as to accommodate a head board,bed frame or similar structure that typically prevents the bed skirt 10from extending about the fourth side of the bed. It should beunderstood, however, that in certain embodiments that a fourth side ofthe bed skirt 10, may be included as part of the present invention asmay be desired for beds either not having a head board or is notobstructed from not having a bed skirt extending thereacross.

As illustrated, each respective side, a, b, c of the bed skirt 10 isdefined by a generally horizontal, planar, elongate segment of non-slipmaterial 16, that is designed to extend along a dedicated peripheraledge of the upper surface 14 a of box spring 14, and a segment ofdecorative textile 18 depending therefrom, discussed below. As will bereadily appreciated by those skilled in the art, the elongate, planarsegment of non-slip material 16 is operative to engage the upper surface14 a of box spring 14 and remain firmly secured thereto, particularly inuse when sandwiched between the upper surface 14 a of box spring 14 andmattress 12 resting thereupon. In order to provide the absolute maximumdegree of secure attachment when interposed between box spring 14 andmattress 12, the non-slip material 16 is preferably constructed formpolyvinyl chloride (PVC), which provides outstanding results to thusenable the bed skirt 10 to remain securely in position when positionedabout the top surface 14 a of box spring 14, as shown in FIG. 2. Alongthose lines, prior art attempts to design bed skirts that are interposedbetween mattresses and box springs are typically formed a syntheticrubber, such as styrene-butadiene rubbers, that do not provide enough ofa frictional engagement between the box spring and mattress and thus donot remain secured into position to the degree as the present inventiondoes by using a PVC-based non-slip material.

Depending from a respective side of the planar, non-slip materialextending outwardly from the peripheral edge of upper surface 14 a ofbox spring 14 are decorative textile/fabric segments 18, which may takeany of a variety of conventional textiles/materials/fabrics known in theart. With respect to the present invention, it is contemplated thatdecorative textile 18 will be custom sized so as to have a particularheight “H”, as shown in FIG. 3, or other type dimensions as may bedesired for a particular bed. In this regard, although depicted as beingutilized in connection with a conventional rectangular-shaped bed, thesegments of non-slip material 16 and decorative textile 18 dependingtherefrom may be sized and adapted for use in any of a variety of shapesbed, including circular beds, heart shaped beds and the like.

To achieve that end, and referring again to FIG. 3, it will beunderstood that the size and dimensions of the bed skirt 10 of thepresent invention may be varied as may be desired for a variety of bedsizes. Along those lines, it is understood that the differentdimensions, such as the length “L” shown in connection with side “a” maybe varied, as may be the width “W” of the respective sides a, b, and c,that cooperate to define a generally “U” shape. According to a preferredembodiment, the non-slip material segment 16 will preferably be formedsuch that the non-slip material has a width of sufficient size so as tosecure the bed skirt 10 into position once interposed between themattress 12 and upper surface 14 a of box spring 14. Presently, it iscontemplated that the width of non-slip segment 16 can range from 2inches to over 12 inches although greater or lesser widths arecontemplated. In some embodiments, the segments 16 are at least fourinches wide, and preferably at least six inches wide, although otherwidths are contemplated. As for the depending decorative textilematerial 18, that may be designed to have any of a variety of lengthscorresponding to the non-slip segments 16 interconnected therewith asmay be desired for a particular bed, and more particularly the boxspring thereof. Moreover, the height “H” will be selectively chosen, forexample, 8-10 inches, as may be desired. In one conventional embodiment,the decorative textile 18 will have a height “H” or drop ofapproximately 14 inches, as will accommodate more conventional boxsprings. Along these lines, it is contemplated that the decorativetextile 18 will be custom cut and not adjustable in nature, as attemptedin the prior art, insofar as being adjustable in nature detracts fromthe appearance and causes the bed skirt to have a less than desirableappearance. As for the interconnection between the non-slip material 16and decorative textile 18, that may be accomplished by any of a varietyof means known in the art, which typically will comprise stitching thetwo respective materials to one another, although any type of attachmentmeans, such as by gluing, snap fasteners, ties, hook and pile fasteners,such as Velcro, and the like are all contemplated to be within the scopeof present invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, and initially to FIG. 4, there is shownhow the bed skirt 10 of the present invention engages the upper surface14 a of box spring 14. As illustrated, the non-slip material 16 engagesupon the top surface 14 a such that the decorative textile 18 extendsthereover and down the side of box spring 14 as shown. Again, the height“H” of decorative textile 18 will be selectively chosen so as toaccommodate a particular box spring. Moreover, the width of non-slipmaterial 16 may be sized as desired for a particular application, andmay be provided with a greater width to the extent a greater degree ofattachment to the upper surface 14 a of box spring 14 is desired.

To provide further attachment means for the bed skirt 10 to interconnectwith the upper surface 14 a of box spring 14, as shown in FIG. 5, thereis further optionally provided a hook member 20 that may be preferablyintegrated at the juncture where the non-slip material 16 interconnectswith depending decorative textile member 18. As will be appreciated bythose skilled in the art, such hook member 20 further facilitates theability of the bed skirt 10 to remain in secure position. Along thoselines, it is contemplated that such hook member may be positioned at thedistal-most ends of sides a, and b, as shown in FIG. 3 to thus securethe bed skirt at points closest to the open head board side of the bed.As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, although shown as ahook member, such additional attachment means 20 may likewise take anyof a variety of forms known in the art, and may include snap fasteners,hook and loop fasteners, such as Velcro, ties or any other attachmentmeans as would be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

In order to provide a custom, tailored look, it is expresslycontemplated that the respective sides a, b, and c, as shown in FIGS. 2and 3, will be formed as separate segments that are selectively sewn orattached to one another to form the bed skirt, and in particular thethree-sided bed skirt, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The non-slip material16 is first cut into proper width strips that correspond with the lengthof the three sides of box spring 14 and bed skirt textiles 18 (two atside a, and c and one at the foot, side b). The non-slip material 16 canalso be sewn to platform strips in proper position with the non-slipside facing downward. Optionally, a small strip of commercial grade hookand loop tape can be sewn to the ends of the bed skirt nearest the headof the bed and the corresponding piece of hook and loop tape should beadhered directly to the side of the box spring 14. This optional featurewill secure the adjustable length feature of the non-slip bed skirt intoits proper position, as may be desired.

In order to use the bed skirt 10 of the present invention, initially,with the mattress removed, the bed skirt is unfolded and adjusted at thefoot of the bed skirt such that the bed skirt 10 is carefully alignedwith the corners of the box spring 14 for proper fit. This process isrepeated for the two sides of the bed. If utilizing the optional hookand loop, remove the backing from the adhesive and place it in theproper desired position on the box spring. Then match the correspondinghook and loop that is affixed to the bed skirt to the box spring.

Unlike prior art bed skirts that are formed as an entire length ofmaterial and “curved” to fit a particular bed, the present inventionexpressly contemplates that specific segments will be made to thusenable the corners of the bed skirt, namely, such as where segments aand c attach with segment b, will have a cleaner, more tailoredright-angle appearance. As will be appreciated by those skilled in theart, such appearance, as can be attained with the readily deployable bedskirt of the present invention, has not heretofore been available. Alongthose lines, and as stated above, bed skirts using traditionalconstruction methods shift out of place over time and look unsightlyrequiring the user to remove the mattress to adjust. The inventionclaimed here solves this problem, particularly insofar as the bed skirtof the present invention omits platform/decking and using a commercialgrade, non-slip material constructed of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) backedpolyester, the bed skirt can be installed and repositioned withoutremoving the mattress.

Stated more succinctly, the present invention differs from whatcurrently exists. Prior to this invention, bed skirts would becomeunsightly as the skirt shifted out of position with use. This inventionmaintains its proper position without the use of fasteners. Moreover,manufacturing the bed skirt with only three sides, not four, as is thetraditional method in commercial applications, the present inventionreduces the critical dimensions required by eliminating the need for thelength measurements, thus allowing the bed skirt to become adjustable inthe length for a much better fit. Also, manufacturing the bed skirt 10per the three-sided method discussed above, the bed skirt becomes highlyadjustable for varying lengths of bedding.

As will be further appreciated by those skilled in the art, prior tothis invention bed skirts would become unsightly as the skirt shiftedout of position with use as relying simply on a fabric decking materialto hold the bed skirt in position as a bed is used requires constantadjustment of the bed skirt on the box spring. This design also requiresthe heavy mattress to be removed and subjecting the user to injury.Advantageously, the present invention maintains its proper positionwithout the use of fasteners. Moreover, the invention allows the bedskirt 10 to be installed and adjusted as needed while the mattress is inposition. By proper application of the non-slip material, any shiftingof the bed skirt is greatly reduced thus creating a more visuallyattractive product.

Additional modifications and improvements of the present invention mayalso be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Thus, theparticular combination of parts and steps described and illustratedherein is intended to represent only certain embodiments of the presentinvention, and is not intended to serve as limitations of alternativedevices and methods within the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A bed skirt comprising: an elongate, planarsegment of non-slip material interposable between an upper surface of abox spring and a mattress, said non-slip material being designed to beinterposed along and contiguous with a peripheral edge of said boxspring; a decorative textile attached along the length of said non-slipmaterial along the peripheral edge thereof and extending downwardlyalong the length of said box spring when said non-slip material isinterposed between said upper surface of said box spring and saidmattress along said peripheral edge of said box spring.
 2. The bed skirtof claim 1 wherein said non-slip material comprises polyvinyl chlorideand has a width sufficient to retain said bed skirt in position wheninterposed between said mattress and box spring.
 3. The bed skirt ofclaim 1 wherein said non-slip material comprises polyvinyl chloride andhas a width of from 2-17 inches.
 4. The bed skirt of claim 3 whereinsaid non-slip material comprises polyvinyl chloride and has a width ofat least 4 inches.
 5. The bed skirt of claim 3 wherein said non-slipmaterial comprises polyvinyl chloride and has a width of at least 6inches.
 6. The bed skirt of claim 3 wherein said decorative textile issewn to said non-slip material.
 7. The bed skirt of claim 4 furthercomprising a hook member affixed to the underside of said non-slipmaterial for engaging and interconnecting with said upper surface ofsaid box spring when said non-slip material is interposed between saidmattress and said box spring.
 8. A bed skirt comprising first, secondand third segments cooperating to define a generally “U” shape, saidrespective one of said segments being defined by a elongate, planarsegment of non-slip material interposable between a conventionalrectangular box spring and a mattress along a peripheral edge thereof,said non-slip material having a decorative textile affixed thereto andoperative to extend over said box spring when said non-slip material isinterposed between said box spring and said mattress along a peripheraledge thereof, each respective segment being sized and configured toextend along a dedicated side of said box spring such that three of saidfour sides of said conventional rectangular box spring have saiddecorative textile segments extending thereover.
 9. The bed skirt ofclaim 8 wherein said non-slip material is fabricated from PVC.
 10. Thebed skirt of claim 8 wherein said decorative textile is attached to saidPVC non-slip material.
 11. The bed skirt of claim 10 wherein each ofsaid first segment, said second segment and said third segment of saidbed skirt assume a generally inverted “L” shape when said non-slipmaterial is interposed between said box spring or mattress along aperipheral edge thereof.
 12. The bed skirt of claim 10 wherein saidfirst and third segments of said bed skirt extend distally to the headof said bed when said non-slip material is interposed between said boxspring and said mattress.
 13. The bed skirt of claim 12 wherein saiddistal ends of said first and said third segments are provided with ahook material operative to engage with said upper surface of said boxspring so as to facilitate the ability of said bed skirt to remainsecured into position when positioned upon said box spring.